Undo Me (The Good Ol' Boys #3) (8 page)

It was plain as day to see. This woman was still very much in love with her ex-husband. The mere mention of surfing had shaken her to the core.

“Good to know. I’ll have to take her surfing sometime. Maybe you’d like to come and watch?”

“That would be great,” she stirred with her face lighting up.

“Have you been able to head out to the beach? Oak Island is known for its beaches. We get tons of tourists during the summer, it’s the only time of year that you will see the beach packed with people from all over the world. The rest of the time it’s just us locals. Maybe I could show you and Aubrey around town sometime? I bet she’d love that… to get to spend time with you and all,” I pressed.

There was no way in hell that her mama didn’t want to spend time with her. I could tell by the way her face lit up every time she talked about her. But there was also remorse on her face and traces of guilt in her voice. If there was anything I could do to make it better, I would.

Sometimes people needed to see the light before they could get out of the darkness.

“That would be lovely, Dylan. I might have to take you up on that offer.”

“Not a problem, ma’am. I’d be honored, two pretty girls on my arm… can’t ask for a better day.”

She smiled. “I’m glad Aubrey has a friend like you here. Are you sure I can’t get you something to drink? I need to get ready for work, but I’m so glad I got to meet you,” she repeated with the same enthusiasm as the first time.

“I’m—”

“Hey,” Aubrey announced, stepping into the room, surprised. “Mom! I didn’t think you were still here. I thought you had to go to work?”

“I do.” She looked down at her watch. “I’m actually going to be late. I just wanted to meet one of your friends.”

Aubrey nervously looked over at me, and I arched an eyebrow. “You look beautiful,
friend
.” I grinned, taking in her yellow dress that I knew she wore for me.

They both smiled at me, but when they turned back to face each other I could sense the tension between them, and it killed me to see Aubrey struggling with her emotions.

Especially since she never did that with me.

Although, I was sad for them, I was happy that I got to see the vulnerability between them. I got a deeper look into Aubrey’s life, learning something new.

“Well, you kids have fun. Aubrey, please try to be home by eleven, okay? I’ll be home early in the morning to make you some breakfast,” she said with a strain in her voice.

She nodded as her mom leaned into her ear to whisper, “I like him,” I overheard her say as Aubrey locked eyes with me.

“It was nice to meet you, Dylan. Maybe next time we could plan that day?”

“You can count on it,” I declared, my stare still fixated with Aubrey’s.

Her mom excused herself to go get ready for her shift, leaving Aubrey and me alone in the living room.

“Are you ready to head out?” I asked, cocking my head towards the front door. She nodded in response, a little taken back with what her mom said to me before she left the room.

“Lead the way, suga’.”

A smile spread across her pretty face when she realized there were flowers in my lap.

“Are those for me?”

“No, I don’t buy my
friends
flowers,” I replied with a smart-ass grin.

She took the flowers out of my hands and said, “Thank you.” Not bothering to acknowledge my retort.

After she put the flowers in water I grabbed her hand, helping her down the stairway as we left the house.

“Hey, I’m really sorry about my mom, I didn’t think she would be here. What was she talking about back there? What day?”

My fingers brushed hers when I reached to open her door, purposely trying to be a gentleman. Another one of Alex’s quirky little tips. The smirk on her lips told me she knew what I was up to. She didn’t comment on it, but I was hoping my efforts were going to be appreciated. I closed her door with the same affectionate smile she’d given me.

I jumped in the driver’s seat and cranked the engine, thinking about what she had asked. She flinched when I swiftly moved my arm over to her and grabbed her chin. I watched her lips part and her tongue moisten them, expecting a kiss that she didn’t get. She got a delayed reaction to the question she’d made with great conviction.

“Your mama loves you.”

Her eyes widened, she wasn’t expecting me to say that.  

“But just so we are clear, darlin’, this is a date and we are not friends.”

She also wasn’t expecting me to say that.

“Why are we at the marina?” I asked, shutting my door.

He waited for me by the hitch of his Jeep, extending out his hand when I got close to him. I cocked my head to the side, raising an eyebrow not budging until he answered my question.

“To find a fucking mermaid, let’s go,” he snapped with a straight face.

I tried to keep my amused expression to myself as he tugged me toward him. We walked hand-in-hand down the dock, strolling past one boat after another. When we reached the end of the boat slip he stepped over the railing onto a sailboat that had a blanket spread out on the bow. I was careful to step over the riggings as he led us to the front.

“Wow,” was all I could manage to say as I slowly turned in a circle, taking in my surroundings.

The sun had just set and every star shined bright above the water. I took in the blanket and picnic basket that were perfectly placed in the center of the bow.

“Do you bring every girl here? No wonder you get laid as much as you do,” I chuckled to no avail, taking in his stern expression.

“Let’s get one thing straight.”

He placed his finger under my chin to get me to look up at him. I peeked through my lashes, anxiously waiting for what he was going to say next.

“I’ve never brought a girl here before.”

I shyly smiled, his words warming my heart. Making me feel like shit for what I said before.  

“Now, that boat right over there.” He jerked his neck behind me, and I turned to see.

“I usually use that one,” he added with a neutral tone.

I gasped with my mouth wide open. “You asshole!”

He laughed, big and throaty.

“Oh my God! You actually had me going! You’re such a dick, McGraw!"

He laughed harder, his head falling back. It shook the entire boat. “I never smile unless I mean it,” he confessed out of nowhere.

I lowered my eyebrows, confused by the turn of events. I instinctively peered down at the makeshift picnic he had made for us…

For me.

“As a matter of fact, I don’t do anything unless I fucking want to. I don’t care who you are,” he said with a thick Southern accent, running his hand through his long hair. I noticed his twang came out more when he really meant something. When he was passionate or determined to get out what he needed to say.

I licked my lips, carefully listening to everything he was sharing. My heart fluttering faster with each word that left his mouth.

“Since I met you, I smile a lot, and I find myself doing all sorts of shit I never have before.”

“How do you do that?”

He knowingly arched an eyebrow.

“How can you make me so mad, and then make it go away as if it was never there in the first place?”

“It’s a curse, darlin’, I have that effect on girls.”

I shook my head, smiling.

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Pink,” I replied, confused. He seemed to be full of surprises.

“Food?”

“Chicken wings and pizza. Where is this going?”

“Movie?” he followed, ignoring my question.

“Boondock Saints.”

He grinned, surprised with my answer.

“I love an asshole hero,” I sincerely stated. 

He smiled big and wide, knowing I meant that in more ways than one.

“Best childhood memory?”

I frowned but quickly recovered, simply stating, “Surfing.”

“Last question, what’s your biggest weakness? What do you hate?”

“That’s easy. I hate being tickled. I cannot freaking stand it.”

“You mean like this?”

It all happened so fast I never saw it coming. His arms wrapped around me before I got the last word out, locking me in place against his hard, firm chest.

I gasped. “Dylan…” I warned. “Let go! I don’t want to play with you anymore,” I argued, pathetically fighting his hold.

The boat wobbled more, adding to my weak attempts of breaking away from his tight grasp. The water smacking hard against the sea wall, mimicking what I wanted to do to him at that second.

“Oh really, where are you the most ticklish? Here?”

I started squealing, struggling, and hysterically laughing. My body violently shook as he tickled me everywhere. Finding my sweet spot almost immediately, right under my ribs. I shuddered, falling to the ground with him pretty much on top of me. Except he didn’t stop, if anything it gave him more leverage to do what he wanted…

To torture me.

“Stop!” I screeched out, squirming and kicking every which way.

“Darlin’, now’s not the time to pretend like you don’t like my hands on you.”

“McGraw! I mean—”

“You mean what, suga’?” he taunted, stopping his assault with his face mere inches from mine.

“Tell me, what do you mean?” he baited, inching his face closer.

I have never wanted someone to kiss me more than I did right then and there.

I watched the way his lips moved.

I watched the way his hair blew in the wind, framing my face.  

I watched the way his chest heaved up and down, mirroring mine as if they were in sync with one another.

I especially watched the way he looked at me. No one had ever looked at me like that. I wanted to engrain it in my memory. To take a piece of him home with me. 

When he brushed the hair away from my face he didn't say a word. His eyes spoke for him.

The way he affected my mind and my heart was petrifying, but it was so real.

The emotion…

I could touch it.

I could feel it.

I could taste it.

It surrounded me. It undid me.

“You’re trouble, McGraw. You’re so much fucking trouble,” I murmured, loud enough for him to hear.

“Baby,” he huskily groaned, placing his forehead on mine. “You have no fucking idea.”

He wanted to kiss me.

By the look on his face, he knew I wanted it, too. But what he did next surprised me more than anything.

He sat up.

Breaking the strong connection that held both of us captive for just a few minutes. I cleared my throat, sitting up with him. Pretending like I wasn’t hurt by his rejection.

“You hungry?” he asked, walking over to the picnic basket, breaking the thick air between us.

I nodded, not being able to find my voice. He handed me a sandwich before he headed over to the edge of the boat, sitting with his feet dangling in the water.

I watched him from afar without him noticing, which was odd because he seemed to notice everything.

An old blues beat unexpectedly filled the silence. The first few lyrics described a man that was running, hiding, and then running and hiding again, not knowing what the girl wanted him to do. I couldn’t help but laugh and smile.

I smiled so wide that it hurt my face.

He was trying to tell me something again. Letting the music express what he couldn’t say himself.

I paid attention to every word as the enticing beat rocked through me, and I felt the need to be close to him. Closer than I already was, and I meant that in more ways than one. I took off my sandals and scooted to the edge of the boat where Dylan sat, letting my feet sway to the music in the warm ocean water.

His fingers strummed to the beat of the music on the side of the boat, and I placed my hand close to his.